Our Activities
In-Line With our Vision and Objectives
We Are Involved In Diverse Social Projects
FOMWAN and its state branches have been involved in diverse projects like managing Orphanages, schools of various kinds (Nursery/Primary, Secondary, Adult Literacy, Arabic/Qur’anic Literacy, Vocational), Agriculture, Hospitals, Clinics, Pharmacies, Interfaith and Peacebuilding, and other income-generating projects. States are aided by guidelines from the constitution, code of conduct and ethics, and the National Executive Council (NEC) but without strict interference or dictates on particular activities to be engaged in.
Programme Areas
Education
Health
Capacity-Building and Training
Da’awah
Advocacy
Community Development and Humanitarian Services
Human Rights, Elections and Good Governance
Social Involvement
FOMWAN has rapid response teams at both national and state levels to respond to local and national emergencies such as communal conflicts, floods, fire incidents, epidemics, refugees, etc. FOMWAN periodically issues press statements and media briefings on topical issues of concern to the citizens. FOMWAN engages with government at federal, state, local government, and other stakeholders on issues concerning the citizens.
Retreats and Action Plans
FOMWAN Retreats are held bi-annually to review, re-assess and evaluate programs, progress, and challenges aimed at developing new strategies for running the organization. The Association regularly formulates strategic plans. These plans are formulated for five years each and has resulted in general re-alignment of focus through projects expansion, creating boards and standing committees, expanding the scope of existing ones, amending the constitution, and producing state and zonal action plans which can be achieved in the five-year period.
Annual National Conference
The Rotational Annual National Conference between Northern and Southern parts of the country has reinforced the unity and understanding among the diverse membership for over 31 years and has also served as a medium of publicity for FOMWAN objectives and programs among the rural members and the general populace, both male and female.
FOMWAN Magazine and Other Publications
“The Muslim Woman” published annually is presented at the annual national conferences. It encourages members to write and publish articles of interest and address topical issues of concern in the country and elsewhere especially as they affect Muslims and women in particular.
State and Inter-State Visits
The National Secretariat introduced state visits to its state chapters. This enables the national leadership to meet first-hand situations, programs, projects, affiliates, initiatives and engages government, religious and traditional leaders at the state level. State chapters have also been encouraged to conduct interstate visits to share experiences, learn from each other, and build stronger ties and relationships.
Other Opportunities
FOMWAN has generated tremendous goodwill and carved a niche for itself as a broad group representing Muslim women nationwide. The majority of Muslims and many male Islamic groups see FOMWAN as a ray of hope that can successfully coordinate women’s activities. They therefore support FOMWAN’s activities and champion its causes.
Public Relations and Collaboration
Governments at all levels engage FOMWAN to reach out to Muslim women from ward to national level. These engagements have made FOMWAN be more proactive in reaching out to willing partners. FOMWAN participates at conferences/workshops on women’s issues, education, health, legal rights, good governance, political participation, HIV/AIDS and other social issues and works with other civil society organisations in the areas of education, health, election monitoring, etc. It has official stakeholder status in the Federal Government’s Universal Basic Education (UBE), the Nomadic Education Programmes, the Joint Consultative Committee on Education (JCCE) and National Almajiri Education Programme which aims to integrate basic education into traditional Madrasah schools and the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication (PTFOPE). It is involved in the FG/UNICEF Qur’anic Education Programmes. FOMWAN also networks with male national Islamic groups such as Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), Nigeria Da’awah Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA). FOMWAN collaborates with sister religious organizations and has developed interfaith forums with a number of them, aimed at enhancing mutual understanding, useful information dissemination and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria. FOMWAN is a recognized stakeholder in election observation. It was part of a quartet jointly funded by USAID that developed a mechanism for deploying election observers and coordinating field reports (Project Swift Count) during the 2011 general elections and all States’ staggered elections in Nigeria
International Activities
FOMWAN is an NGO with consultative status with the United Nations. FOMWAN participates in the activities of the Global Network of Religions for Children, and the World Council of Religions. Several international partners approach FOMWAN for collaboration to implement projects. FOMWAN has seized this opportunity to further build its capacity to be able to engage successfully with partners who share its mission and vision. FOMWAN hosted Muslim sisters from the Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana at the FOMWAN National Conference in December 1993. The Muslim sisters visited projects in some FOMWAN state chapters and were inspired by the achievements of FOMWAN. FOMWAN has been a catalyst to the formation of similar associations in other West African countries: Ghana (FOWMAG), Liberia (FOMWAL), Gambia (FOMWAGA), Sierra-Leone (FOMWASAL), and Mauritius (FOMWAM), United Kingdom (FOMWAUK), and the Muslim Women in the Republic of Niger, and Northern Ireland (FOMWAIR).
Other Policy Involvement
Since its inception, FOMWAN has made input into policies through partnerships with Governments at all levels. FOMWAN leads or forms part of delegations to engage the National Assembly on issues of concern to the nation especially as they affect Muslims and women and families in particular. It makes submissions at the National Assembly committee hearings on issues of interest which are preliminary activities to enacting new laws or amending existing ones.